From the Caller Times CORPUS CHRISTI — Most fans of the NBA likely are disappointed they won’t be getting their dream matchup of the Lakers and Cavaliers in the championship series.
South Texas baseball fans have no such gripes. They will get their much-anticipated pairing of Calallen and Moody high schools for the Region IV-4A championship.
Both Trojans coach Corky Gallegos and Wildcats coach Steve Chapman agreed to a best-of-3 series beginning Thursday night at Whataburger Field. It pits the two top-ranked teams in the state 4A poll in Moody and Calallen, respectively, as well as the defending 4A champs in the Wildcats.
“There was a little doubt,” Chapman said Monday. “I thought about one game and he also had a graduation problem that caused me to think that way. But we worked that out.”
“The only flip we had was who was going to be home the first day,” said Gallegos, whose Trojans will be the home team in Thursday’s opener.
Game 2 is scheduled for Friday night. Because of Moody’s 6 p.m. graduation ceremonies on Saturday, a third game, if necessary, will begin at 11 a.m. that day.
Both teams needed three games in the regional semifinals to earn berths in the final. After having their 27-game winning streak snapped last Thursday 1-0 by San Antonio Alamo Heights, the 34-2 Trojans rolled through Mules by a combined two-game score of 23-0 last Saturday to eliminate the Mules.
After winning last Friday’s opener 5-3, Calallen (34-3) lost Game 2 on Saturday 7-3 to Austin Lake Travis, the Wildcats’ first home loss in three years. In Game 3, the Wildcats beat the Cavaliers 10-4.
Calallen and Moody met in March in non-district game at Whataburger Field, with Moody prevailing 7-4 in front of about 3,000 people. It was an error-filled contest in which the Wildcats were then the No. 1 team and the Trojans were No. 2. Even then, Gallegos and Chapman had an inclination the teams would meet again.
“Yes. Yes I did. I really thought that last year, of course, but you’ve got to have some breaks,” said Gallegos, who has coached the Trojans to two state titles in the past six seasons. “But I knew they had the team to make it and with some breaks I felt the same way.”
“You never can tell. You could think that but nothing’s for sure,” said Chapman, whose Wildcats own three state titles. “We always think that there’s a possibility for us playing in the regional final. I thought last year we were going to play them in the regional final.”
Calallen and Moody appeared headed for a clash in last year’s region finals, but Alice had other plans. The Coyotes knocked off the Trojans 9-6 in a one-game area playoff, and Calallen went on to claim the regional title on the way to its third state championship.
And to the delight of South Texas baseball fans, Calallen and Moody will have each other with which to contend this time to earn a state-tournament berth.
Region IV-4A Championship
Calallen vs. Moody
Schedule – Game 1: 7 p.m. Thursday. Game 2: Friday, 7 p.m. Game 3: 11 a.m. Saturday, if necessary (all games at Whataburger Field). Gates open an hour before each game.
Tickets - All tickets are general admission and camping out to purchase tickets is discouraged by the Hooks. Presale tickets for Games 1 and 2 go on sale at Whataburger Field at 9 a.m. Thursday. If Game 3 is needed, tickets will go on sale immediately after Game 2 Friday night at Whataburger Field. Any remaining tickets for game 3 will be sold at Whataburger Field at 8 a.m. Saturday. Tickets are $6 for adults and $3 for students. District 30-4A and 31-4A passes will be allowed. Moody and Calallen faculty with an ID will be admitted free, but spouses pay. THSCA, TGCA and THSBCA current membership cards will be honored.
Parking: $4
The Moody-Calallen match-up will be awesome to see.
Hopefully, the Reagan-Westlake series will be just as exciting. Game 1 is at 7 p.m. Friday at Wolff Stadium in San Antonio. Game 2 is at 2 p.m. Saturday at Dell Diamond, with Game 3 following if needed.
Hopefully, the Reagan-Westlake series will be just as exciting. Game 1 is at 7 p.m. Friday at Wolff Stadium in San Antonio. Game 2 is at 2 p.m. Saturday at Dell Diamond, with Game 3 following if needed.
Thur. and Fri. games SOLD OUT! as of 2pm this afternoon. 9000 plus each day. Gonna be a record crowd if they go 3 games. The CC Hooks have sold out 4 times since they have been here. We might get 3 in a weekend. Go to Moody Trojan Baseball on twitter for inn. updates or http://catsiradio.com/.
9000+...............
Unbeleeeevable! How cool would that be?
Unbeleeeevable! How cool would that be?
From the Caller Times CORPUS CHRISTI — The baseball teams from Moody and Calallen high schools traditionally have been known to post big numbers, and this season has been no exception.
No one could have envisioned that the numbers that played the biggest role in Thursday’s opening game of the Region IV-4A championship series were in the final column on the scoreboard under “E.”
The top-ranked teams in the state Class 4A poll combined for as many errors as runs, but the Trojans took full advantage of the Wildcats’ miscues for a 6-3 victory in front of a crowd of 9,026 frenetic people at Whataburger Field.
That gives the 35-2 Trojans a 1-0 lead in the best-of-3 series heading into Game 2 tonight. With a chance to sweep, the Trojans are expected to send Andrew Cantu to the mound to face Calallen ace Jordan John in a battle of left-handers.
“That’s a lot of weight off our shoulders,” said Moody pitcher Justin Meza, who improved to 14-1 with the win. “But Calallen’s a good ballclub. They can hit the ball. They can come back.”
The four errors the Wildcats made were one fewer than the Trojans, but all of the Moody runs were unearned off Calallen left-hander Rob Zastryzny (9-4). Only one of the nine runs scored Thursday night were earned.
“They’re high school kids and it’s baseball,” Moody coach Corky Gallegos said. “This game is a cruel game. After making an error, the most important thing is the next pitch. I think we were able to regain our focus and pull it out.”
The key swing came in the third inning after Calallen (34-4) had taken a 3-1 lead on two of Moody’s five errors, catcher Wyatt Mathisen’s two-run single and Zastryzny’s RBI single. The Trojans put up three runs of their own in the bottom of the third, with Meza (RBI triple), third baseman Michael Franco (RBI double) and designated hitter Randy Rodriguez (RBI single) providing the offense along with the third of four Calallen errors.
“Big games usually make young kids like this get tight,” Calallen coach Steve Chapman said. “We didn’t play very good defense. We played terrible defense, actually. We made errors at inopportune times.”
The large crowd made for a big-game atmosphere and the players responded differently. Some said it affected them, some said it didn’t. Regardless, the errors were a direct result of the pressurized situation.
“But you don’t want to blame the errors on nerves. You want to go out and just have fun,” said Moody catcher Marcus Villanueva, who scored twice. “But when the errors come, it just falls. It just happens.”
“But we shouldn’t be nervous. We’re used to having some big crowds when we’re playing Moody,” Calallen shortstop Dustin Vaughan said. “It was no different today. There’s no excuse for the way we played and there shouldn’t be for this series. We’re just going to have to come out and try and get on top this next game and try to win it Saturday.”
Moody took a 1-0 lead in the first inning when Christian Garza-Gallegos walked, went to third on Calallen’s first error and scored on a wild pitch.
After the Trojans took the 4-3 lead in the third, they padded the lead with two runs in the fourth, again aided by a Calallen error. A.J. Longoria, who opened the inning with a walk, scored on Calallen’s final error and Meza delivered an RBI single for a 6-3 lead.
Meza struck out four and allowed eight hits on 126 pitches to earn the complete-game win. Zastryzny lasted five innings, striking out seven and scattering six hits.
“Usually after a loss we get mad and work harder,” Zastryzny said. “This could be good for us. It could work both ways, getting us ready. We’re ready to come back and play as hard as we can. We are not ready to go home now.” From the Corpus Christi Caller Times. Keep u posted tomorrow. Sold out again another record crowd. 9100 plus. Just to let u know i'm the catcher's uncle of Moody do'in it proud. Go Moody.
No one could have envisioned that the numbers that played the biggest role in Thursday’s opening game of the Region IV-4A championship series were in the final column on the scoreboard under “E.”
The top-ranked teams in the state Class 4A poll combined for as many errors as runs, but the Trojans took full advantage of the Wildcats’ miscues for a 6-3 victory in front of a crowd of 9,026 frenetic people at Whataburger Field.
That gives the 35-2 Trojans a 1-0 lead in the best-of-3 series heading into Game 2 tonight. With a chance to sweep, the Trojans are expected to send Andrew Cantu to the mound to face Calallen ace Jordan John in a battle of left-handers.
“That’s a lot of weight off our shoulders,” said Moody pitcher Justin Meza, who improved to 14-1 with the win. “But Calallen’s a good ballclub. They can hit the ball. They can come back.”
The four errors the Wildcats made were one fewer than the Trojans, but all of the Moody runs were unearned off Calallen left-hander Rob Zastryzny (9-4). Only one of the nine runs scored Thursday night were earned.
“They’re high school kids and it’s baseball,” Moody coach Corky Gallegos said. “This game is a cruel game. After making an error, the most important thing is the next pitch. I think we were able to regain our focus and pull it out.”
The key swing came in the third inning after Calallen (34-4) had taken a 3-1 lead on two of Moody’s five errors, catcher Wyatt Mathisen’s two-run single and Zastryzny’s RBI single. The Trojans put up three runs of their own in the bottom of the third, with Meza (RBI triple), third baseman Michael Franco (RBI double) and designated hitter Randy Rodriguez (RBI single) providing the offense along with the third of four Calallen errors.
“Big games usually make young kids like this get tight,” Calallen coach Steve Chapman said. “We didn’t play very good defense. We played terrible defense, actually. We made errors at inopportune times.”
The large crowd made for a big-game atmosphere and the players responded differently. Some said it affected them, some said it didn’t. Regardless, the errors were a direct result of the pressurized situation.
“But you don’t want to blame the errors on nerves. You want to go out and just have fun,” said Moody catcher Marcus Villanueva, who scored twice. “But when the errors come, it just falls. It just happens.”
“But we shouldn’t be nervous. We’re used to having some big crowds when we’re playing Moody,” Calallen shortstop Dustin Vaughan said. “It was no different today. There’s no excuse for the way we played and there shouldn’t be for this series. We’re just going to have to come out and try and get on top this next game and try to win it Saturday.”
Moody took a 1-0 lead in the first inning when Christian Garza-Gallegos walked, went to third on Calallen’s first error and scored on a wild pitch.
After the Trojans took the 4-3 lead in the third, they padded the lead with two runs in the fourth, again aided by a Calallen error. A.J. Longoria, who opened the inning with a walk, scored on Calallen’s final error and Meza delivered an RBI single for a 6-3 lead.
Meza struck out four and allowed eight hits on 126 pitches to earn the complete-game win. Zastryzny lasted five innings, striking out seven and scattering six hits.
“Usually after a loss we get mad and work harder,” Zastryzny said. “This could be good for us. It could work both ways, getting us ready. We’re ready to come back and play as hard as we can. We are not ready to go home now.” From the Corpus Christi Caller Times. Keep u posted tomorrow. Sold out again another record crowd. 9100 plus. Just to let u know i'm the catcher's uncle of Moody do'in it proud. Go Moody.
San Antonio Reagan loses Game 1 to Austin Westlake, 1-0. Reagan ace Matt Harrell pitched a 1-hitter and Reagan had 4 hits to Westlake's 1, but an error allowed Westlake's unearned run.
Games 2 (and 3, if necessary) to be played tomorrow at Dell Diamond in Round Rock.
Games 2 (and 3, if necessary) to be played tomorrow at Dell Diamond in Round Rock.
Calallen 6, Moody 2
Game 2 of the IV-4A Region Championships
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LIVE COVERAGE
Check out the play-by-play from area games at ourGame Time Live blog CORPUS CHRISTI — Though the blue-and-gold faithful rooting for Moody High School may object, it only is fitting that the two top-ranked baseball teams in Class 4A play a best-of-3 series to the end.
In classic Jekyll-and-Hyde fashion, a revitalized, second-ranked Calallen ballclub came out Friday night and beat No. 1 Moody 6-2 in front of another stadium-bursting crowd of 8,879 at Whataburger Field.
That forces a third and deciding game in the series beginning at 11 a.m. today, also at Whataburger Field, with the winner heading to the state tournament next week in Round Rock. Calallen (35-4) snapped a four-game losing streak to the 35-3 Trojans, who hold a 9-5 lead in the all-time series.
“It doesn’t get any better than this,” said Calallen senior second baseman Mat Garza, who stole three bases, including home in the sixth inning. “It’s going to be a great game. They will bring everything they have. We’ll bring everything we have. It’s going to be one for the ages.”
It also was one that came a day too late for the Wildcats, who uncharacteristically blundered often in a 6-3 loss to Moody in Thursday’s Game 1. But the defending 4A champions struck quickly for four runs in the first two innings on Friday. That smoothed matters for senior left-handed starter Jordan John and Nick Ginn (8-0). The sophomore reliever was pressed into service when John exited in the third inning with an elbow injury.
“Yeah, I got on them. I mean, the team that played last night is not the team that I’ve been putting on the field all year long,” Calallen coach Steve Chapman said. “I told them it’s now or never. We can’t go back and play like we did last night if we’re going to go back to the state tournament.”
Calallen put leadoff runners on base in four of its six at-bats, scoring in three of those innings off senior Andrew Cantu, who suffered his first loss in 15 decisions. It started in the first when Garza reached on an error, stole second and moved to third on Jacob Hubert’s infield single. They both scored an out later on freshman Wyatt Mathisen’s double down the left-field line.
“Getting the first out of the inning is important against a team like Calallen, with their speed and what they’re capable of doing on the bases,” Moody coach Corky Gallegos said. “You have to dictate to them. The only way you can do that pretty much is getting the first out of the inning.”
The Wildcats boosted their lead to 4-0 in the second on Hubert’s RBI single and a run-scoring double-play off the bat of Roland Resendez.
Calallen’s crowd grew silent in the top of the third after John, the Wildcats’ ace, threw the first pitch to Moody leadoff hitter Marcus Villanueva with two outs. John said he felt a twinge in his shoulder. The trainer and coaches came from the dugout to examine John, and after one more warmup pitch, John was lifted. He held the Trojans hitless through 2.2 innings, striking out five.
Ginn came on and got Villanueva to bounce out, but the Trojans scored twice in the fourth on all of their three hits. Ginn surrendered one-out singles to Rudy Flores and Justin Meza before Michael Franco drove in Flores with a double. Meza scored on Randy Rodriguez’s groundout to first to pull the Trojans within 4-2.
“I mean, when Jordan got hurt it was kind of unexpected. Like my teammates told me, just come out and let the defense work, just let them do all the things,” Ginn said. “I just pitched the ball. They did all the work.”
Ginn then set down nine of the final 11 Moody batters and was aided by a double play.
“We had Nick come in. He did an awesome job. I’m very proud of him,” said John, who likely is out of Calallen’s pitching mix today. “We played baseball today. We came back from a deficit down in a hole 1-0 from yesterday and put up runs early and put their backs against the wall.”
The Wildcats gave Ginn some help in the sixth, scoring two more with two outs. Bryden McClure, who missed a squeeze bunt sign that forced Dustin Vaughan to be tagged out at third in a rundown, singled to left. He scored on Garza’s single to right that was misplayed by Flores. Garza stole third before Hubert walked. Garza then scored on the front end of a double steal.
“It’s just one of those days in baseball. They’re catching the breaks and we’re not,” Gallegos said. “Opportunity was on their side. Tomorrow is a different day. I believe in our guys and would put them up against anybody. We’re going to continue to feel that way.
Game 2 of the IV-4A Region Championships
» View Photo Gallery
LIVE COVERAGE
Check out the play-by-play from area games at ourGame Time Live blog CORPUS CHRISTI — Though the blue-and-gold faithful rooting for Moody High School may object, it only is fitting that the two top-ranked baseball teams in Class 4A play a best-of-3 series to the end.
In classic Jekyll-and-Hyde fashion, a revitalized, second-ranked Calallen ballclub came out Friday night and beat No. 1 Moody 6-2 in front of another stadium-bursting crowd of 8,879 at Whataburger Field.
That forces a third and deciding game in the series beginning at 11 a.m. today, also at Whataburger Field, with the winner heading to the state tournament next week in Round Rock. Calallen (35-4) snapped a four-game losing streak to the 35-3 Trojans, who hold a 9-5 lead in the all-time series.
“It doesn’t get any better than this,” said Calallen senior second baseman Mat Garza, who stole three bases, including home in the sixth inning. “It’s going to be a great game. They will bring everything they have. We’ll bring everything we have. It’s going to be one for the ages.”
It also was one that came a day too late for the Wildcats, who uncharacteristically blundered often in a 6-3 loss to Moody in Thursday’s Game 1. But the defending 4A champions struck quickly for four runs in the first two innings on Friday. That smoothed matters for senior left-handed starter Jordan John and Nick Ginn (8-0). The sophomore reliever was pressed into service when John exited in the third inning with an elbow injury.
“Yeah, I got on them. I mean, the team that played last night is not the team that I’ve been putting on the field all year long,” Calallen coach Steve Chapman said. “I told them it’s now or never. We can’t go back and play like we did last night if we’re going to go back to the state tournament.”
Calallen put leadoff runners on base in four of its six at-bats, scoring in three of those innings off senior Andrew Cantu, who suffered his first loss in 15 decisions. It started in the first when Garza reached on an error, stole second and moved to third on Jacob Hubert’s infield single. They both scored an out later on freshman Wyatt Mathisen’s double down the left-field line.
“Getting the first out of the inning is important against a team like Calallen, with their speed and what they’re capable of doing on the bases,” Moody coach Corky Gallegos said. “You have to dictate to them. The only way you can do that pretty much is getting the first out of the inning.”
The Wildcats boosted their lead to 4-0 in the second on Hubert’s RBI single and a run-scoring double-play off the bat of Roland Resendez.
Calallen’s crowd grew silent in the top of the third after John, the Wildcats’ ace, threw the first pitch to Moody leadoff hitter Marcus Villanueva with two outs. John said he felt a twinge in his shoulder. The trainer and coaches came from the dugout to examine John, and after one more warmup pitch, John was lifted. He held the Trojans hitless through 2.2 innings, striking out five.
Ginn came on and got Villanueva to bounce out, but the Trojans scored twice in the fourth on all of their three hits. Ginn surrendered one-out singles to Rudy Flores and Justin Meza before Michael Franco drove in Flores with a double. Meza scored on Randy Rodriguez’s groundout to first to pull the Trojans within 4-2.
“I mean, when Jordan got hurt it was kind of unexpected. Like my teammates told me, just come out and let the defense work, just let them do all the things,” Ginn said. “I just pitched the ball. They did all the work.”
Ginn then set down nine of the final 11 Moody batters and was aided by a double play.
“We had Nick come in. He did an awesome job. I’m very proud of him,” said John, who likely is out of Calallen’s pitching mix today. “We played baseball today. We came back from a deficit down in a hole 1-0 from yesterday and put up runs early and put their backs against the wall.”
The Wildcats gave Ginn some help in the sixth, scoring two more with two outs. Bryden McClure, who missed a squeeze bunt sign that forced Dustin Vaughan to be tagged out at third in a rundown, singled to left. He scored on Garza’s single to right that was misplayed by Flores. Garza stole third before Hubert walked. Garza then scored on the front end of a double steal.
“It’s just one of those days in baseball. They’re catching the breaks and we’re not,” Gallegos said. “Opportunity was on their side. Tomorrow is a different day. I believe in our guys and would put them up against anybody. We’re going to continue to feel that way.
Reagan lost Game 1 vs. Austin Westlake 1-0, despite Reagan ace Matt Harrell throwing a one-hitter.
In Game 2, Reagan lost 4-3 in 9 innings.
Austin Westlake advances to the state tourney.
In Game 2, Reagan lost 4-3 in 9 innings.
Austin Westlake advances to the state tourney.
CC Moody 14 CC Calallen 4 10run rule in 5th, great series....I hear the 07' series was more of a classic. 24,000+ attendance for 3 games....all games sold out.......this is high school....amazing. I don't see anyone stopping Moody in Round Rock
I think Texas High will give them a run for there money.(If they match up)
They will need some big breaks and CC Moody to be off it's game to compete and even at that Maybe pull off an huge upset........I don't see anybody stopping this offense....CC Calallen had the only shot.
I dont know JAKE if THS gets by Brenham and Moody gets by Heights it should be a good game.
Should be a good one 1eighty, any team that's in the final four is obviously there for a reason.
ROUND ROCK — Fond of saying that his Moody High School baseball team responds positively when its back is to the wall, coach Corky Gallegos was pleased to see it happen again Wednesday night.
Even with a lead, the Trojans needed to play as if their postseason lives were at stake because the seventh-ranked upstarts from Fort Worth Arlington Heights weren’t paying much heed to Moody’s No. 1 Class 4A and national rankings.
Moody got just enough offense, aided by four Arlington Heights errors, and senior right-hander Justin Meza was crafty enough to get the Trojans past the Yellow Jackets in a 6-4 victory in the 4A semifinals at The Dell Diamond.
“It picked up slow again. Every single series, we pick up slow,” Moody shortstop Christian Garza-Gallegos said. “But from what I saw those last couple innings, everybody’s focused. When we get those runners on, we have to execute.”
Into the state finals for a sixth time seeking their third state crown, the 37-3 Trojans padded their one-run lead with three seventh-inning runs, two scoring on an error and the final on Meza’s third hit of the night, and RBI single to left, for a 6-2 lead.
Meza (17-1) surrendered two in the bottom of the seventh on John Biggs’ RBI triple and Mitchell Lichtie’s RBI single. But Trojans third baseman Michael Franco started an around-the-horn double play to second baseman Gerardo Gutierrez and onto Justin Perales to escape further damage.
“I’d have to thank my defense and offense,” said Meza, who struck out six and walked four on 105 pitches, 65 for strikes. “Without them, I wouldn’t be getting any attention at all.”
Heights outhit the Trojans 8-7, but left seven runners aboard. Meza was able to wiggle out of most of the Yellow Jackets’ threats and was backed by flawless defense.
“In a game like this, it could go either way,” Corky Gallegos said. “We saw a lot of ways they could put the ball in play. When you can put Meza in play like that, it says a lot. It’s important that we made our plays.”
Moody’s attention now centers around fifth-ranked Texarkana Texas in today’s championship game. The Tigers scored 10 runs in the first three innings, held off a seven-run rally by No. 4 Brenham in the fourth and hung on for a 15-9 win in the day’s first semifinal. Texarkana rocked Brenham’s Chase Wellbrock (12-1) for 9 earned runs in 2.1 innings of work.
“It’s just another game, but it’s a big game. We’re going to go in like it’s a one-game series and treat it like that,” Moody designated hitter Randy Rodriguez said. “We’re not going to let anyone take us off our game.”
The Trojans certainly didn’t overpower the Yellow Jackets and starter David Shipman (8-4), not like they did Calallen in Game 3 of the Region IV final and in the final games of the regional semifinals against Alamo Heights. Shipman limited Moody to seven hits, but hit two batters — Franco and Gutierrez — both of whom scored.
Moody’s first run came courtesy a fielder’s choice grounder by Randy Rodriguez, during which Franco beat the throw to the plate in the second. In the third, Gutierrez tripled and scored on Christian Garza-Gallegos’ groundout to shortstop.
“We know when people get on base, we have to turn it up and knock them in,” Rodriguez said.
That was a problem for Arlington Heights (29-9), which stranded five runners in the first three innings, three in scoring position. But the Yellow Jackets closed within a run in the fourth on Steven Redfield’s RBI single to center.
Justin Perales, who had two of Moody’s hits, led off the fifth with a double. Pinch-runner Smiley Zapata eventually scored on another Heights error. The Yellow Jackets responded in their half of the fifth on John Biggs’ RBI double. But Meza coaxed two flyouts to preserve a 3-2 edge.
By the CC Caller Times
Even with a lead, the Trojans needed to play as if their postseason lives were at stake because the seventh-ranked upstarts from Fort Worth Arlington Heights weren’t paying much heed to Moody’s No. 1 Class 4A and national rankings.
Moody got just enough offense, aided by four Arlington Heights errors, and senior right-hander Justin Meza was crafty enough to get the Trojans past the Yellow Jackets in a 6-4 victory in the 4A semifinals at The Dell Diamond.
“It picked up slow again. Every single series, we pick up slow,” Moody shortstop Christian Garza-Gallegos said. “But from what I saw those last couple innings, everybody’s focused. When we get those runners on, we have to execute.”
Into the state finals for a sixth time seeking their third state crown, the 37-3 Trojans padded their one-run lead with three seventh-inning runs, two scoring on an error and the final on Meza’s third hit of the night, and RBI single to left, for a 6-2 lead.
Meza (17-1) surrendered two in the bottom of the seventh on John Biggs’ RBI triple and Mitchell Lichtie’s RBI single. But Trojans third baseman Michael Franco started an around-the-horn double play to second baseman Gerardo Gutierrez and onto Justin Perales to escape further damage.
“I’d have to thank my defense and offense,” said Meza, who struck out six and walked four on 105 pitches, 65 for strikes. “Without them, I wouldn’t be getting any attention at all.”
Heights outhit the Trojans 8-7, but left seven runners aboard. Meza was able to wiggle out of most of the Yellow Jackets’ threats and was backed by flawless defense.
“In a game like this, it could go either way,” Corky Gallegos said. “We saw a lot of ways they could put the ball in play. When you can put Meza in play like that, it says a lot. It’s important that we made our plays.”
Moody’s attention now centers around fifth-ranked Texarkana Texas in today’s championship game. The Tigers scored 10 runs in the first three innings, held off a seven-run rally by No. 4 Brenham in the fourth and hung on for a 15-9 win in the day’s first semifinal. Texarkana rocked Brenham’s Chase Wellbrock (12-1) for 9 earned runs in 2.1 innings of work.
“It’s just another game, but it’s a big game. We’re going to go in like it’s a one-game series and treat it like that,” Moody designated hitter Randy Rodriguez said. “We’re not going to let anyone take us off our game.”
The Trojans certainly didn’t overpower the Yellow Jackets and starter David Shipman (8-4), not like they did Calallen in Game 3 of the Region IV final and in the final games of the regional semifinals against Alamo Heights. Shipman limited Moody to seven hits, but hit two batters — Franco and Gutierrez — both of whom scored.
Moody’s first run came courtesy a fielder’s choice grounder by Randy Rodriguez, during which Franco beat the throw to the plate in the second. In the third, Gutierrez tripled and scored on Christian Garza-Gallegos’ groundout to shortstop.
“We know when people get on base, we have to turn it up and knock them in,” Rodriguez said.
That was a problem for Arlington Heights (29-9), which stranded five runners in the first three innings, three in scoring position. But the Yellow Jackets closed within a run in the fourth on Steven Redfield’s RBI single to center.
Justin Perales, who had two of Moody’s hits, led off the fifth with a double. Pinch-runner Smiley Zapata eventually scored on another Heights error. The Yellow Jackets responded in their half of the fifth on John Biggs’ RBI double. But Meza coaxed two flyouts to preserve a 3-2 edge.
By the CC Caller Times
T High wins today with a walk off HR by Heathcott.JMHO 
No walk off but Heathcott did close it out. Congrats to T High. 